I saw this in Bilbao and now in London, as described by the NYT
IN “The Visitors,” a nine-screen video installation by Ragnar Kjartansson that will have its first American showing next month, the artist lies in a pedestal bathtub almost in a trance, strumming a guitar as he repeatedly sings a refrain, “Once again, I fall into my feminine ways.” Over the course of an hour his voice falls and rises, on its own and in unison with performers on the other eight screens — each seen as if in a painting, playing an instrument in a different room of a beautiful, run-down mansion and singing the same enigmatic refrain at a dirgelike pace.
Last August the nine performers gathered in a room of the mansion, two hours north of New York City in the Hudson Valley, to rehearse. “The Visitors” would be shot later that week in a single take, with nine cameras distributed around the house, but that day they simulated being in separate rooms by avoiding eye contact.
To one onlooker what was most striking was the extraordinary emotional range and intensity of their performances. Limited to just a few simple lyrics, which they repeated dozens of times, the singers created an entirely absorbing ensemble piece that was alternately tragic and joyful, meditative and clamorous, and that swelled in feeling from melancholic fugue to redemptive gospel choir.
They were selling the soundtrack for £50 in London, but E music has it as an one track download
God love her. Not sure I agree that it's "fantastic," but it's certainly more successful than most attempts by 30s-40s jazz stars to try on rock and roll. I saw a Fred Astaire 60s TV appearance a while ago that showed just how strange "rock" must have sounded to his ears (and feet).
@Doofy I usually do copy image address from bandcamp, paste the address into the comment box here, change the 16 at the end to 2, then copy and cut it and paste it into the insert image dialog.
Out today which is kinda timely seeing as I'll be at the Cram Festival @ 100Yrs Gallery in London all Bank Holiday weekend: https://cramrecords.bandcamp.com/album/gubbins As ever embedding powers fail...must...try...harder...
You are most welcome Doofy and it's Dave btw never know what to do re Avatars and on-line hooks etc (displays advancing age and/or lack of imagination) Of course you could follow it up with Philip Glass Akhnaten the recent production of which I was lucky enough to see in London; alas the juggling cut down on the spookiness quotient of that production... (not a joke). There's a more straight ahead Soliman Gamil album on Emusic called Suite Folklorique or similar just listening now.
". . .One of the elements that significantly distinguishes Bent Knee is its
adventurous arrangements. Each track is a true journey. In fact, pieces
like “Eve” and “Counselor” are so diverse they reflect an almost “songs-within-a-song” approach. . ."
- The tracks mentioned above are really mindblowing stuff . . .
Well, going through the SFL tonight has made me sad. I've just discovered this - Else Marie Pade (2 December 1924 – 18 January 2016).
Sad, sad news.
I've had this in the SFL for too long! Thanks @Brighternow , I really enjoyed Electronic Works 1958-1995 and I'll think some good thoughts for her during this listen.
Well, going through the SFL tonight has made me sad. I've just discovered this - Else Marie Pade (2 December 1924 – 18 January 2016).
Sad, sad news.
I've had this in the SFL for too long! Thanks @Brighternow , I really enjoyed Electronic Works 1958-1995 and I'll think some good thoughts for her during this listen.
Welcome . . . Passing away at the age of 91 really shouldn't be sad, but I guess it's natural for us human beings to react in that manner. - But it irritates me beyond description that I didn't took the trouble to go all the way to Copenhagen when she played live the last time. (not that many years ago)
Comments
Garmardah Fungus - Mysterious Carpathians
Another great/great-priced Numero box; been meaning to check out this band for years...
From yesterday's mail....
Very excited to see this on Emusic
Ragnar Kjartansson - The Visitors
I saw this in Bilbao and now in London, as described by the NYT
IN “The Visitors,” a nine-screen video installation by Ragnar Kjartansson that will have its first American showing next month, the artist lies in a pedestal bathtub almost in a trance, strumming a guitar as he repeatedly sings a refrain, “Once again, I fall into my feminine ways.” Over the course of an hour his voice falls and rises, on its own and in unison with performers on the other eight screens — each seen as if in a painting, playing an instrument in a different room of a beautiful, run-down mansion and singing the same enigmatic refrain at a dirgelike pace.
Last August the nine performers gathered in a room of the mansion, two hours north of New York City in the Hudson Valley, to rehearse. “The Visitors” would be shot later that week in a single take, with nine cameras distributed around the house, but that day they simulated being in separate rooms by avoiding eye contact.
To one onlooker what was most striking was the extraordinary emotional range and intensity of their performances. Limited to just a few simple lyrics, which they repeated dozens of times, the singers created an entirely absorbing ensemble piece that was alternately tragic and joyful, meditative and clamorous, and that swelled in feeling from melancholic fugue to redemptive gospel choir.
They were selling the soundtrack for £50 in London, but E music has it as an one track download
Craig
Good one that I haven't listened to enough.
Been meaning to ask, is there a secret to finding not-to-huge images to link on Bandcamp ?
Meanwhile, Glass Bead Games
eta, Thanks Craig, but I'm not really seeing that. At least in Chrome, clicking the image seems to just select it
Echo & the Bunnymen - Ocean Rain
Craig
Copy image url:
https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0039679564_16.jpg > Paste in new tab > change the 16 to 14:
https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0039679564_14.jpg
And in Firefox there's this very useful resize tool (as shown above)
ETA: Or as described by GP.
NP:
- Really really amazing !
And:
https://www.discogs.com/release/300103-A-Map-Of-Egypt-Before-The-Sands/images
Spooky vibes alert.
https://cramrecords.bandcamp.com/album/gubbins
There's a more straight ahead Soliman Gamil album on Emusic called Suite Folklorique or similar just listening now.
One of those big box set albums I never relabeled. Benny's still out there, and in fact is playing the Jazz Fest next week!
NP: One of the latest Cuneiform releases:
". . .One of the elements that significantly distinguishes Bent Knee is its adventurous arrangements. Each track is a true journey. In fact, pieces like “Eve” and “Counselor” are so diverse they reflect an almost “songs-within-a-song” approach. . ."
- The tracks mentioned above are really mindblowing stuff . . .
Steve Hudson Chamber Ensemble - "Shine"
On Bandcamp - https://stevehudson.bandcamp.com/album/shine
Laurent Rochelle Okidoki Quartet - "Si tu regardes"
-Outstanding. Words soon. Plus one of his older ones that made it under my radar.
Sad, sad news.
I've had this in the SFL for too long!
Thanks @Brighternow , I really enjoyed Electronic Works 1958-1995 and I'll think some good thoughts for her during this listen.
Rob Clearfield - "Islands"
Passing away at the age of 91 really shouldn't be sad, but I guess it's natural for us human beings to react in that manner.
- But it irritates me beyond description that I didn't took the trouble to go all the way to Copenhagen when she played live the last time. (not that many years ago)
NP:
Randy Greif - Noises From The Attic
Excellent !Bill Frisell - "Quartet"